World Organization Task Force Meets in Brussels

A Task Force organized by the World Customs Organization today commenced work in Brussels with the aim of securing and protecting the international supply chain from terrorism while facilitating legitimate trade. This is in response to a Resolution agreed to by the heads of the world’s Customs administrations at its June Council Sessions. Bringing together Customs administrators, intergovernmental organizations, trade associations and those involved in air and maritime transport, the creation of the Task Force is the first step to develop new guidelines to simultaneously increase supply chain security and ensure the flow of international trade. Among the topics to be discussed are the enhancement of import, export and in-transit controls, improving technology and automation, the advance electronic transmission of Customs data and using risk management and risk assessment techniques to select goods and conveyances for examination. There has been increased global concern, most recently expressed by G8 and in the International Maritime Organization that the international supply chain could be vulnerable to acts of international terrorism or organized crime. The WCO sees cooperation between all those involved in the international trade process as essential to ensure that control is adequate and that legitimate trade is facilitated with a minimum of inconvenience. In opening the Task Force meeting this morning, the Deputy Secretary General of WCO, Kunio Mikuriya reminded delegates from more than 50 countries and 25 organizations that next Wednesday will be the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the US and that the world now recognized terrorism as a common problem. As a result, protecting and safeguarding the national territory had become a major issue. He said that it was almost self evident, that such serious security issues have the potential to cause distortion of trade patterns and severe damage to national economies and because of this it was increasingly important that Customs controls are effective, seamless and non-obtrusive. The Task Force is due to complete its work by June next year.